Pot Size

[Jetsona]

While heating my first batch I had a boil over. Had 3 gallons in a 5 gallon pot. I turned by back for less than 5 seconds to retrieve my liquid refreshment that was close by and when I turned around the flame was out.

It seems logically that if you had a bigger pot that there is less chance of boilover.

A local retailer is having a clearance sale on turkey pots. I assume they are aluminum. 8,10,12,15,20, 25, & 30 gallon pots are on sell.

Which would you recommend?

Thanks

 

[STAD]

30 gallon, no question.

jk, it really depends on what your plans are and how much money you have.

 

[Jetsona]

I have brewed one batch so who knows what the future brings. I am willing to try it a second time. Will probably do this for a good while if a good result can be had after a few batches.

Now for going all grain, who knows.

Money is not the issue.

Thanks

 

[RICLARK]

I assume those sizes are by the Qt and not by the Gallon. 30 qt will be a 7.5 gallon pot and that is fine for extract but to small for A.G.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Also, this is a good place to insert a plug for Fermcap-S drops. They prevent boilovers and are the best thing for brewers since highly modified malts.

 

[mag]

How do they prevent boil overs?

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

It is a surfactant. Basically, it inhibits the boil from forming bubbles and foam at the surface. If you do a search for "fermcap-s" you should get a bunch of threads dealing with it in detail.

 

[mr_clean]

Aluminum could cause an off flavor

 

[RICLARK]

I have brewed well over 25 batches on my aluminum pot and never had an off flavor. You need to boil about 5-6 gallons of water in the pot for about 30 mins to develop protection.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Aluminum could cause an off flavor

Nooooooooooooooo read the stickys. You almost opened Pandora's box... seriously. This is an inaccurate statement and has been thoroughly refuted by both anecdotal and scientific means.

 

[JVD_X]

The recommendation is a pot twice the size of your target batch size... so 5 gallons in the fermenter would be a 10 gallon pot.

 

[STAD]

Nooooooooooooooo read the stickys. You almost opened Pandora's box... seriously. This is an inaccurate statement and has been thoroughly refuted by both anecdotal and scientific means.

Pandora can't go back into the box - he only comes out.

 

[Parker36]

Pandora can't go back into the box - he only comes out.

Pandora was a chick and she was never actually in the box (she did the opening). Yay Greek mythology!

 

[FlyGuy]

For stovetop brewing, aluminum pots are highly recommended because they conduct heat much, much better than stainless pots. It can make all the difference in the world between a vigorous, rolling boil vs. a very weak boil. See my improved stovetop boiling thread (see signature) for details.

Regarding pot size, with stovetop boils where there might be challenges to achieve a vigorous boil, over-sizing your pot is a real concern. The 'twice the batch size' rule is a good one, but don't exceed it. A pot that is too large will lose a lot more heat than a pot that is just large enough to accommodate the entire boil volume.

My preferred size on the stovetop would actually be something 25 - 50% larger than your wort volume. Mitigate the risk of boil overs with foam control drops (e.g., Fermcap-S). That stuff is pure magic, and no stovetop brewer should brew without it, IMO!

 

[Jetsona]

I assume those sizes are by the Qt and not by the Gallon. 30 qt will be a 7.5 gallon pot and that is fine for extract but to small for A.G.

The sizes listed are the advertized sizes divided by 4. One pot listed as 120 quarts. Now when I get to teh store who knows what there will be.

Thanks

 

[FlyGuy]

I assume those sizes are by the Qt and not by the Gallon. 30 qt will be a 7.5 gallon pot and that is fine for extract but to small for A.G.

I have done lots of AG batches on the stovetop with a 30 qt turkery fryer pot. It works really well. Just use foam control drops and there is no issue.

 

[Jetsona]

What size is minimum for A.G.?

I use a turkey fryer for heat.

Thanks

 

[STAD]

Pandora was a chick and she was never actually in the box (she did the opening). Yay Greek mythology!

It's from a movie, Pineapple Express?

 

[Runyanka]

Aluminum could cause an off flavor

Aluminum will only cause off flavors if you dont get a nice coating on the pot. I have both a 5 gal SS pot and a 10 gal aluminum pot, both brews taste the same.

 

[Runyanka]

I knew this chick named pandora once... she was hot... so was her box. Just kidding.

 

[RCCOLA]

Boil overs are really easy to prevent.I regularly start my boil w/ 7gals in an 8 gal pot.Watch your thermometer and when it gets to 205F really watch it closely.When the foam starts to rise turn off the heat or move the pot off the burner and stir the foam back down.After a little bit it will settle down to a nice boil and you can add your first hop addition.I never add hops till the wort has settled down into a nice boil.That way you don't have to keep scraping the hops back down off the sides of the pot.

 

[Jetsona]

Well I went to the store with the clearance sale. These were aluminum turkey pots that came with a strainer. They had 36,60,80,100 and 120 quart pots left. I got an 8 gallon. THe 120 quart was 150.00.

They also had a 155,000 BTU burner for 25.00. What is the normal turkey fryer BTU output?

 

[RICLARK]

They also had a 155,000 BTU burner for 25.00. What is the normal turkey fryer BTU output?

I have a 160,000 and it kicks some serious ass so yours will be just as good.

 

[KMart104]

First time brewer and first post. I got a 20 qt aluminum pot. Brewed two weeks ago and no problems. I took it off the burner when it came to a boil the second time to add my hops and worked out great. Glad i clicked on this thread though, never boild water in it to get it ready. Should i boil water in it now to condition it?
thanks kevin

 

[RCCOLA]

First time brewer and first post. I got a 20 qt aluminum pot. Brewed two weeks ago and no problems. I took it off the burner when it came to a boil the second time to add my hops and worked out great. Glad i clicked on this thread though, never boild water in it to get it ready. Should i boil water in it now to condition it?
thanks kevin

You already did with your brew.It should have a nice darkened color to the boiling surface which is your oxidation layer.Don't get crazy with your wash procedure now or you will scrub it away and have to start over.Just this one beer may end up w/ a metallic taste to it from boiling w/o the oxidation layer but it will still be better than anything BMC produces!:rockin:

 

[RICLARK]

Yes do not scrub it at all. Use a soft dish rag or something dont use any scuff pads or sos pads.

 

[nosmatt]

You already did with your brew.It should have a nice darkened color to the boiling surface which is your oxidation layer.Don't get crazy with your wash procedure now or you will scrub it away and have to start over.Just this one beer may end up w/ a metallic taste to it from boiling w/o the oxidation layer but it will still be better than anything BMC produces!:rockin:

boy, i dunno about that last statement.... this is why my ed's haus pale tastes like **** im sure. this off taste will not go away, and i would not call it metallicm i would just call it nasty.
undrinkable... i still have 3.5 12 packs of it. ill try it again in the summer if i can muster the courage

i wish i had read a little more before i used that pot!

 

[EvilTOJ]

You can have a boilover in any size pot. I once turned my back on a 4 gallon boil wheat beer in a 15 gallon keggle after I'd thrown a hop addition in.... yea burning all over the place!